Analysing HRD research in the UK research excellence framework

ABSTRACT

The state of Human Resource Development (HRD) research can be assessed in various ways. This paper presents a descriptive analysis of HRD in the UK 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF2014), establishing how it is represented within the UK’s national research assessment system. HRD is a relatively new field of study in the UK, and globally, but features in many business schools. HRD is represented in the REF mainly in the Unit of Assessment (UOA) 19 – Business and Management Studies, and specifically under the sub- theme: management development and management education. We determine the extent to which HRD research has been included in REF2014 by identifying the number of institutions submitting HRD research outputs and HRD impact case studies in UOA19. We also identify the types of outputs and number of HRD journals included in submissions. Our analyses suggest that most institutions submitted HRD outputs, amounting to around 4% of the total and the majority were published in non-HRD journals. We challenge the widespread use of the ‘ABS list’ to rate/select submitted outputs, identify implications for a range of stakeholders in HRD and offer recommendations for further research.

KEYWORDS:

• Human Resource Development (HRD)
• Research Excellence Framework (REF)
• management learning
• ABS journal ranking list

Acknowledgments

This paper is based on a wider project funded by the University Forum for HRD (UFHRD), a European network of HRD researchers, educators and practitioners.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University Forum for HRD.